Crime novelist and children's attorney Andrew Vachss (Down in the Zero, Born Bad) has two important stories debuting this October, both of which will first see print in comic books. The first issue of Cross, a seven-issue series which begins with #0, was set to debut October 24th. But to emphasize the Andrew Vachss connection between Cross and Batman: The Ultimate Evil, Cross #0 will now ship October 17th, the same date as Batman: The Ultimate Evil #1.

"While Andrew would be the first to tell you that the two comics have nothing to do with one another," said Dark Horse vice president of sales Lou Bank, "they are related in that they're both hard-hitting action stories. Both are told from Andrew's trademark 'ground zero' point of view. If you like one, you will probably like the other."

Cross, which Vachss co-wrote with novelist James Colbert (All I Have is Blue), is the story of a "family" of killers, six mercenaries who have found that the strongest bonds between people are anything but biological. Vachss' Batman story, Batman: The Ultimate Evil, pits the mythic Dark Knight against an all-too-real horror, the prostitution of children. "Batman has spent more than fifty years fighting criminals," said Vachss. "In this story, he fights crime."

Cross is being adapted in seven comic books, beginning with #0. Batman: The Ultimate Evil is being adapted in two issues. Both will debut October 17, 1995, with subsequent issues shipping monthly thereafter.